By hannover-web.com On October 17th, the Chinese short track speed skating team announced its roster for the upcoming season of the Short Track World Cup. The men’s team includes Liu Shaoang, Lin Xiaojun, Sun Long, Li Wenlong, Liu Shaolin, and Zhu Yiding, while the women’s team features Wang Ye, Gong Li, Zhang Chutong, Xu Aili, Zang Yize, and Wang Xinran.
Team leader Liu Chenyu highlighted the importance of relay events for China, noting that the mixed relay and men’s relay are key gold medal targets for the squad. For the women’s team, the relay is anticipated to be a strong chance for a podium finish. In selecting athletes, they take various factors into account, including individual capabilities, skating techniques during relays, handoff effectiveness, short-distance speed, teamwork, trust among teammates, and overall stability.
Head coach Zhang Jing remarked on the new changes to competition rules this season, which intensify the level of competition. He noted that the athletes would use the first two legs of the World Cup to quickly familiarize themselves with and adapt to these new regulations, ensuring they are well-prepared.
During a media day event held in Beijing, Lin Xiaojun shared insights on his training this summer, which took place in Guangxi and Italy. He expressed, “After the summer training, I’ve made significant improvements in my stamina. I hope to podium in events like the 1500 meters during the World Cup.”
Sun Long, a rapidly developing young athlete on the team, has undergone extensive training during the current Olympic cycle, according to Zhang Jing. He praised Sun Long’s vast improvements across technical, tactical, and physical aspects of his skating.
However, compared to their male counterparts, the women’s short track team faces a tougher challenge in terms of overall strength. Zhang noted the fierce international competition over the past decade, pointing out that the young athletes on the women’s squad require more competitive experience at major events. “Our women’s team is also closing the gap with the world’s elite,” he added.
On October 18th, the Chinese national short track speed skating team will depart for Montreal, Canada, where they will participate in the first leg of the new season’s World Cup, scheduled from October 25 to 27.
